I jerk my head up and down. “I agree.”
“And what about your house?”
“Leanne and Jeffery are moving to Colorado to be closer to their grandkids. They’re selling the house.”
“Why don’t you buy it?”
“Because I just dumped seven grand on a down payment for my car. I’ve already spoken to the bank about a loan, but they want at least ten thousand down before they’ll even talk to me. I’ve known for a couple of months Leanne and Jeffery wanted to sell, and I thought I had another place lined up. The owners decided yesterday, which happened to be the day I was supposed to sign the lease papers, to rent to their daughter and her family.”
“Shit, Ray.” He scrubs a hand down his face. “Do you know what you’re going to do?”
I shrug and my shoulders stay drooped when I say, “Stay with Mom and Baxter until I figure something out, I guess.”
I swore when I left home I wouldn’t go back. Not because I didn’t love Mom or Baxter, but because I didn’t want to be one of those kids who moved back into their parents’ house when things got tough. Looks like I’m going to be one after all.
“Jamison and I have a spare room. Why don’t you take it until you get back on your feet?”
I swivel on my stool to face Reed. His offer is generous and exactly something he would do. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t give it any thought and accept his offer. I’m not worried about finding a job. There aren’t many openings here in Silver Falls, but I should be able to find something in one of the surrounding towns pretty quickly. It would only take me a few months to save enough money to rent a place.
The problem isn’t feeling like a leech to my two best friends; it’s being around them so much. In a place where they’re comfortable. In a place where they would bring girls home and I’d hear and see them with those girls. That’s the part that will suck.
Because you see, I’m in love with my two best friends, one of whom is my step-brother.